Unwinding attachment for spools and bobbins



Patented. Feb. 3, 1885.

0. E. WILKINSON. UNWINDING ATTACHMENT FOR SPOOLS AND BOBBINS. No. 311,625.

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lil'nirnn dramas Parana? Carton.

CHARLES E. \VILKINSON, CF MATTEAJVAN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VILLIMANTIC LINEN COMPANY, OF \VILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT.

UNWENDING ATTACHMENT FOR SPOOLS AND BOBBiNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,625, dated February 3, 1885.

A pplieation filed July 10, 188-1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. \VILKIN- sort, of Matteawan, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Unwinding Attachments for Spools and Bobbins, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is applicable, generally, to sewing-machines in which thread is unwound from a fixed spool or bobbin, but is more es peciall y intended for large sewing-machines, such as are used in factories, which take their thread from large spools or bobbins.

The invention relates to an attachment which comprises a fixed spindle on which a spool is placed, a cap applied to the head of the fixed spool, and having on its top a frictionsurtace of leather or other material, and a drag-flier pivoted concentrically to said cap, having an eye for the passage of thread, and having a bearing on the upper friction-surface of the cap. The thread from the spool is passed up ward through the thread-eye of the tlier, and thence through a thread-guide arranged above the spool, and as the thread is drawn tautthe dragilier turns, and so enables the thread to be unwound at the speed desired and without catching.

' he invention consists in the combination, with a base-piece having a broad bottom surface,whereby it may be supported on a bench or otherflat support, and having an upwardlyprojecting stud or spindle adapted to receive a spool, and bored to fit the spool-spindle of a sewing-machine, of a spool on said stud or spindle of the base-piece, a cap applied to the top of a spool, and a dragflier pivoted eoncentrically to said cap and working thereon.

The invention also consists in the combination,with a fixed spindle and a spool thereon, of a friction-cap having a downward]y-projecting stud entering the spool, and also having an upwardlyprojecting stud or spindle, both said studs being integral with the cap, and the cap having a plane upper surface and a covering of frictionproducing material, and a dragflier pivoted on the said upwardlyprojecting stud, and having a bearin on the covering of frictionproducing material.

The invention also consists in the combina' tion,with a fixed spindle, a spool thereon,and

(No model.)

a friction-cap and dragflier operating as de scribed, of an upper threadguide having an approximately straight or horizontal member or portion, along which the thread is caused to traverse by its movement from side to side of the spool as the drag-flier rotates, whereby the cutting and notching of the thread-guide are prevented.

The invention also consists in the combination, with a fixed spindle, a spool thereon, and a friction cap and drag-flier adapted to operate as described, of an upper thread-guide having an elastic or yielding support, preferably formed by a rod or wire having at the upper end a prolongation of fine wire, and provided with an approximately straight or horizontal member or port-ion, along which the thread is caused to traverse as the thread is carried from side to side of the spool by the rotation of the drag-flier, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an elevation of a spool and my im proved attachments. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the base-piece and friction-cap in section. Fig. 3 is a plan of the cap and dragflier, and Fig. l is a iierspective view illustrating the upper thread-guide and its elastic or yielding support.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the spool,which has the usual central hole or bore to receive a spindle, and B designates a circular base-piece whereon the spool is placed, and which is preferably made of cast-iron.

At the center of the hasepiece A is an upwardly-projecting post or stud, a, forming a fixedspindle, and on which thespool is slipped. The weight of the base-piece, with thespool and superposed cap, will be suflicient to give the device the necessary stability when the spool is of any considerable size, and the basepiece may then be placed wherever desired on table or bench without being secured thereto. If the weight is not sut'ficient to give the desired stability, the base-piece may be secured to the bench or table, and I have shown it as provided with screw holes Z) In some cases it may be desired to place the whole device on the ordinary spool-spindle of a sewing-machine, and to this end I make the post or stud a with a central hole or socket, a, so that it may receive the spindle, while the flat bottom of the base-piece will rest on the spool-rest at the base of the said spindle.

O designates the cap, which is preferably of cast-iron, and has a downwardly-turned rim, 0, serving to cover the head of the spool and prevent the thread from catching thereon.

At the center of the cap 0 is a down wardlyprojecting pin or stud, c, of a size to fit snugly in the bore of the spool, and in line therewith is an upwardly-projecting stud or stem, 0 When the cap is made of cast metal, the studs 0' c are formed integral therewith. To the upper side of the cap is amxed a disk or circular piece of leather or other material, which may be secured by adhesive substance, and forms aflat friction-surface, on which bears a dragflier, D. The flier D is similar to that shown and described in my application for Letters Patent filed February 15, 1884, Serial Number 120,829, and is not here claimed. It is made of wire coiled spirally to form an eye or hub, d, which fits loosely on the stud or post 0 and has beyond the cap an eye, d, for the passage of the thread 8. The arm of the flier is formed by two portions, 6?, which diverge widely from the eye at inward or toward the center, and are bowed or bent to give the flier a broad bearing on the friction-surface of the cap 0. As here shown, a screw, 0, is inserted in the end of the post or stud 0 to retain the flier thereon.

Above the spool and cap is a thread-guide, f,whichis supported byawireorotherstandard or rod, E, fixed in the base-piece B. The wire or rod E hasa considerable degree of elasticity; but at the upper end is a prolongation, f, of fine wire, having the guidef formed at the end thereof. The wire prolongation f may be of piano-wire, and it may be forced into or sol dered in a hole in the end of the wire or rod E, or otherwise secured thereto. As here shown, the guidef is triangular in shape; but this is immaterial so long as the guide comprises an approximately straight or horizontal position on member, f*, over which the thread f is drawn. As the flier rotates, the inclination of the thread 8 between the guidef and the thread-eye d of the flier is constantly changed from one side to the other of the spool, and this produces a traverse of the thread to and fro along the horizontal or approximatelystraight arm or member f of the threadguide. When the thread in its travel through the guide-eye bears only at one point, it soon wears a notch therein, which increases theliability of breakage of the thread when a knot orlump comes into the notch, and finally cuts the eye asunder. By causing the eye to traverse along the member f the wear on the eye is distributed and notching of the eye is avoided. The elasticity in the support of thethreadguide f causes it to yield if the thread kinks or catches, and the thread is less likely to break. When unwinding, the elastic prolongation f of the guide-support has a slight tremor or vibration, which acts with almost imperceptiblejerks upon the thread, and so effects the unwinding more evenly than would otherwise be the case. The vibration or tremor of the thread-guidef, which is due to its elastic support, also facilitates the traverse of the thread along the straight member f* of the thread-guide.

I do not desire to cover, broadly, herein an upper thread-guide and an elastic or yielding support therefor, in combination with a fixed spindle and a friction-cap and drag-flier; nor do I desire to claim, broadly, herein the combination, with a fixed spindle, of a cap having a flat or plane ,upper surface and a covering of friction-producing material,and a drag-flier pivoted concentrically to the cap and bearing on the friction-surface.

I am aware of Letters Patent of the United States No. 223,133, granted December 30,1879, to G. Hall, J r., wherein is shown and described a base-piece having an upwardlyprojecting stud or spindle on which a spool may be placed, and having a broad bottom, whereby it may be supported on a bench or other flat surface. This base-piece cannot be placed on the spoolspindle of a sewing-machine.

I am also aware of United States Letters Patent No. 280,504, granted July 3,1883, to T. R. Nichols, wherein is shown and described a hollow spindle for receiving a spool having at one side thereof a socket, whereby it may be secured on the spool-spindle of a sewingmachine. This spindle or base has no broad under surface whereby it may stand on a bench or other flat support.

I desire to include in my invention nothing shown or described in the two patents above referred to, and my base-piece differs from those used heretofore in unwinding attachments, in that it has a broad lower surface and a central socket or hole, whereby it is adapted for use either upon a bench or flat support or upon the spool-spindle of a sewing-machine.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the base-piece B, having a broad bottom surface, whereby it may be supported on a bench or other flat support, and having-the stud or spindle a, adapted to receive a spool, and bored to fit the spool-spindle of a sewing-machine, of a spool on the spindle a, a cap, 0, applied to the top of the spool, and a drag-flier, D, pivoted concentrically to said cap and working thereon, all substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with a'fixed spindle and a spool thereon, of the friction-cap 0, having a downwardly-projecting stud, 0, en-' tering the spool, and an upwardly-projecting stud or spindle, 0, both said studs being integral with the cap, and the cap having a plane upper surface and a covering, of friction-producing material, and a drag-flier, D, pivoted on said stud c and having a bearing on the friction-producing material, all substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with a fixed spindle, a spool thereon, and a friction-cap and drag flier operating as described, of an upper thread guide having an approximately straight or horizontal member or portion, along which the thread is caused to traverse by its movement from side to side of the spool as the dragflier rotates, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The combination, with a fixed spindle, a spool thereon, and a friction-cap and dragfiier adapted to operate as described, of an upper threadguide having an elastic oryielding support and provided with an approxi- Inatel y straight or horizontal member or portion, along which the thread is caused to traverse by its movement from side to side of the spool as the drag-flier rotates, substan- 2o wire or rod support E. having a prolongation, 25

f, of fine Wire, provided at the end with a threadguide, f, having the straight member f all substantially as herein described.

CHAS. E. WVILKINSON.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. CONTRELL, JOHN T. BAILEY, Jr. 

